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#RPGaDay, Day 23: Perfect Game for Me

Much of what makes a perfect game for me ties back to what I was talking about yesterday; it’s more the people I’m gaming with than the game itself. Good players, after all, can make even a bad or mediocre game enjoyable. And with the right group role-playing can pop up in almost any game, as witnessed by the wonderfully role-played games of Shadows Over Camelot I’ve enjoyed.

But stipulating that, I have to say my perfect game is whatever my Thursday Night Heroes are playing. I’ve played with basically the same group of guys on Thursday nights, going on 9 years now. We’ve changed locations (various living rooms, basements, and even board rooms at BioWare), games (D&D, Shadowrun, Star Wars, Pathfinder), and had a few members come and go. We also weather scheduling issues, which can become a problem for any long-running group. Somehow we keep making it work, though.

More in the spirit of the question, though, my perfect game would feature mechanics which enhance role-playing instead of interrupting it. In as much as dice rolling is necessary, it should happen quickly and cleanly, and lead right back to the GM and players telling a story. The game should feature a tangible way to reward good storytelling and role-playing, whoever does it. Many games feature rewards for players in this regard, but I’d love to find a game which rewards the GM somehow.

Yes, I know, today’s post is a bit more vague than usual. What are you going to do?